Dental implant with axial and/or coronal movement and method for affixing it

ABSTRACT

Dental implant that in the event of external pressure is able to absorb a multidirectional pressure, being provided for this purpose with a main body that includes a hollow screw inside which there is a lower end joint, a lower elastic joint, an intermediate nut with internal threading and a hexagonal exterior, an internal movement-limiting screw, an upper elastic joint, a “T”-shaped upper closing part, with a hexagonal head and a threaded interior, where the arrangement and nature of the parts enables not only the dismantling of all of the parts for revision, but also an increase in its strength in response to external forces through its capacity for axial and/or coronal movement, which helps to increase the lifespan of the implant.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is a dental implant with axialand/or coronal displacement, and the procedure for assembling the same.

The dental implant of the invention is an osseointegrated implant, i.e.,the implant is integrated into the jawbone, acting like a metal socketby way of a hollow screw threaded into the maxilla, so that the variouspieces that make up a tooth implant are held and set inside the hollowscrew.

This dental implant is characterized by the special configuration anddesign of each of the pieces that are part of the implant, so that animplant is achieved with the longitudinal axis supported by two pressureabsorbers, one located at the bottom of the implant and another at bonecrest level, so it achieves a certain axial and/or crown mobility whenthe tooth is subjected to pressure, to return to its starting position,so that up to a certain pressure it maintains high rigidity, after whichit increases flexibility, simulating the behavior of the alveolar dentalligament of natural teeth.

Therefore, the present invention falls within the field of implants, andparticularly among those with means to extend the life of the implant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

So far osseointegrated dental implants in bone structure are a series ofpieces fixed in a solid screw that is screwed into the maxilla.

One of the difficulties with this type of implant is the pressure theyare under, which could lead to deterioration of the tooth and the verystructure of the implant.

The pressures to which implants are subjected are derived from thepressure of work, such as chewing. Normal chewing exerts a pressure of100 kg/mm2 and can reach 160 kg/mm2 in patients suffering from bruxism.

These situations cause the reduction of life of the implant. Therefore,it is an objective of this invention to develop a dental implant which,although it may be subjected to such pressures, may have elementscapable of absorbing the pressure on the implants, which necessarilyhave an impact on the life of the implant.

On the other hand, it is intended that the implant can be removed, afact which is very useful when you make changes to the prosthesis orwhen making a new prosthesis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention of a dental implant with axial and/or coronaldisplacement, as the name suggests, is a dental implant which, whensubjected to external pressure, is able to absorb this pressure, beingprovided for this with structure and means to accommodate pressureabsorbers, without this involving significant displacement of theimplant.

This implant consists of a main body consisting of a hollow screw insidewhich the other pieces are arranged.

All references to “lower” or “upper” are made with reference to thefinal position of the implant.

The main body, consisting of a hollow screw, has two threaded outerzones, one arranged on the bottom that is cylindrical and the other, anexterior threaded portion, on the top, which has the shape of aninverted truncated cone. Inside this piece there are three areas, alower housing for a buffer, an intermediate hexagonal cross section, anda threaded upper part.

Inside the hollow screw the following parts are arranged, as presentedbelow. They are set out to follow their arrangement inside the screw,from the bottom to the top of the implant.

-   -   Lower end joint, made in elastic material.    -   Bottom gasket, also made in elastic material.    -   Intermediate nut with inside thread, having at its lower part an        end with a lug and hexagonal walls.    -   Internal screw with movement limiter    -   Upper elastic joint    -   Top closing piece, which has a “T” shape, which has its threaded        inner end, a central part, and an upper part shaped like a hex        head which is threaded inside to house the crowns.

The assembly procedure of this implant with axial and/or coronaldisplacement comprises the following steps:

-   -   Fixing the threaded socket to the maxilla by means of its two        external surface areas.    -   Insertion of the lower fixation joint    -   Positioning of the lower elastic joint.    -   Fixing of the interior threaded nut.    -   Introduction of the internal screw limiting the movement of the        internally threaded nut, positioned inside and immediately below        the internal screw.    -   Introduction of the closing body, which will already be fitted        with the upper elastic seal    -   Screwing of the lower part of the closing body into the inside        thread of the internal nut.

Once the implant is loaded and with the joints in their rest position,there will be no movement in any direction. But a working situation,that is, during chewing, where the working pressure can reach 100kg/mm2, and even 160 kg/mm2 for patients with bruxism, will cause theexpansion of the upper and lower elastic joints, filling expansion slotsprovided for this purpose, returning to the original position when theperson stops exerting such pressure.

With this setup, once the implant is osseointegrated, it is possible toreview and remove each of the interior parts separately. Thisdisassembly process will not be necessary during the early years, but itwill be very useful when changes need to be made in the prosthesis orwhen it has to be replaced by a new prosthesis.

As a result of the provision of means of absorbing the axial and/orcoronal pressure exerted by chewing, the other elements of the implantwill be subjected to lower pressure, resulting in less stress andtherefore a longer life for the implant.

EXPLANATION OF FIGURES

To complement the description that will be made and in order to helpbetter understand their characteristics, this specification isaccompanied by a set of drawings in whose figures, by way ofillustration and not limitation, the most significant details of theinvention are represented.

FIG. 1 a shows a spherical type of fixation (33) of the crowns ordentures, to suit existing implants, and this may take other forms fromthose already on the market, such as conical etc. . . . .

FIG. 2 a shows a 90° longitudinally sectioned elevation; FIG. 2 b showsa top view of the sealing body (7).

FIG. 3 a shows a cross section of the elastic circular seal (6).

FIG. 4 a shows a 90° longitudinally sectioned elevation; FIG. 4 b showsa top view of the screw (5).

FIG. 5 a shows a 90° longitudinally sectioned elevation; FIG. 5 b showsa top view of the inner nut (4).

FIG. 6 a shows a cross section of the elastic intermediate elastic joint(3); FIG. 6 b shows a top view of the elastic intermediate elastic joint(3).

FIG. 7 a shows a 90° longitudinally sectioned elevation; FIG. 7 b showsa top view of the frontal fixation joint of the elastic material (2),which will absorb the axial and/or coronal pressure.

FIG. 8 a shows a 90° longitudinally sectioned elevation; FIG. 8 b showsa top view and FIG. 8 c shows a bottom plan view of the screw (1).

FIG. 9 a shows a longitudinal section view of the beginning of theimplant placement, prior to placement in the maxilla, in which we seehow the pieces (2-3 and 4) are positioned axially inside the main body(1). The piece (4) cannot rotate inside the body (1) since the two partshave complementary hexagonal walls.

FIG. 10 a shows a longitudinal section view of the placement of theimplant prior to placement in the maxilla, in which we see how thepieces (2-3-4 and 5) are positioned axially inside the main body (1).The piece (5) is screwed on (19) inside the body (1), and held in placeby its end piece (4) for stabilization.

FIG. 11 a shows a longitudinal section view of an implant placement,prior to placement in the maxilla, in which we see how the pieces (2-3-54-5-6 and 7) are positioned axially inside the main body (1). The piece(6) as a joint is placed in the upper body (7), and in turn these arescrewed into the threaded portion (21) of the inside thread (17) ofpiece (4) that is stabilized inside the body (1) so that the nut cannotmove, held in place by part (5). We also see the expansion area (27) ofthe joint (3).

FIG. 12 a shows a finished placement ready to be placed in the maxilla.We see the assembly that is made once the pieces are placed in themaxilla, where we may now place the corresponding crowns and dentures(31).

FIG. 13 a shows the assembly mounted in the bone of a maxilla (29).

PREFERRED USE OF THE INVENTION

By means of the figures, we describe below a preferred method of usingthe proposed invention.

FIG. 13 a shows the entire osseointegrated implant assembly, which showsall 30 pieces of the same and how they are coupled together.

FIG. 1 a shows a simplified spherical fixation (33) that is already onthe market for securing crowns or dentures (31), this being the endfixing of the body (1).

The pieces that make up the implant are:

-   -   The main body or hollow screw, shown in FIGS. 8 a-8 c.    -   The top joint as shown below in FIGS. 7 a-7 b.    -   Bottom gasket, shown in FIGS. 6 a-6 b.    -   Interior intermediate threaded nut, shown in FIGS. 5 a-5 b.    -   Internal screw limiting the movement shown in FIGS. 4 a-4 b.    -   Upper elastic joint, shown in FIG. 3 a.    -   Top closing piece, shown in FIGS. 2 a-2 b.

We proceed to describe each of the pieces that make up the implant,their characteristics of construction and how they are coupled with theother pieces. So in FIGS. 8 a-8 c, which show the main body or hollowscrew (1), we see that there is a generally cylindrical configuration,modified at its ends so that the lower end has a pointed shape that hasa series of cuts or slots (8) to facilitate insertion into the bone. Inthe central part there is a cylindrical exterior threaded area (9), widecut with a fine thread and sufficient distance of movement for smoothintegration into the bone. The top of the hollow screw (1) generallyhaving a configuration in the form of a truncated inverted cone on theoutside has a threaded portion (10) which is cut thinner, with lesscutting and a smaller thread.

In the interior of the hollow screw (1) three areas can bedistinguished, a lower zone (11) with an end joint (2), above whichthere is a intermediate zone (12) with hexagonal walls that serve tolock the intermediate nut (4), which allows the intermediate nut (4) anaxial displacement only, i.e. along the vertical axis of the hollowscrew (1). Finally, in the upper part of the inside of the hollow screw(1) there is an upper area (13) of a threaded wall where an internalscrew thread (5) limits the movement of the nut (4).

FIGS. 7 a-7 b show the section and plan of the fixation joint (2), whichhas a generally cylindrical configuration which is tapered at thebottom, presenting a cylindrical housing (14) which holds the lug (15)(FIGS. 5 a-5 b) presented at the lower end of the nut (4) with theinterior thread (17).

FIGS. 5 a-5 b show the section and plan of the nut (4), which as we havesaid has a lug (15) at its bottom, presenting an interior threaded area,while its outer walls have a hexagonal shape, fitting into theintermediate area (12) of the hollow screw (1).

The lower lug (15) is of a smaller section than the rest of the body, sothat in the escalation between the two parts a recess (16) is definedfor housing the lower elastic joint (3) shown in (FIGS. 6 a-6 b).

FIGS. 4 a-4 b show the internal screw (5) limiting the movement of thenut (4). This internal screw (5) has a generally hollow cylindricalconfiguration which is distinguished by a smooth cylindrical bottom part(18) whose lower part makes contact with the top of the nut (4) andthrough the surface contact of both these parts the pressure istransmitted from the screw (5) to the nut (4).

After the smooth cylindrical bottom (18), there is a threadedcylindrical upper part (19) on the outside. The exterior of the upperthread (19) of the screw (5) screws into the internal threads of thethreaded area (13) of the hollow screw (1). Thus, by screwing the screw(5) against the hollow screw (1) it is possible to transmit pressure tothe nut (4), achieving the axial movement of this piece, and limitingits subsequent movement to the extent appropriate for the assembly.

Finally, this screw (5) presents a hollow hexagonal head (20) on which akey (28) shown in (FIG. 10 a) places an adjustment pressure on the screw(5). This key (28) is a fixing tool which is not part of the implant.

Finally the closing piece (7) is fixed as shown in FIGS. 2 a-2 b. Thispiece has an overall configuration in a “T”, and is generallycylindrical in section, presenting at its lower end a threaded portion(21) that screws into the inside threads (17) of the nut (4).

After the threaded portion (21) there is a shank, where both passthrough the screw (5) limiting movement of the nut (4). In the top ofthe closing piece (7) lies the closing head (22), with a width greaterthan the rest of the barrel, and the bottom surface of said head end(22) defines an annular recess (24) to accommodate the upper seal (6)shown in (FIG. 3 a). On the head end (22) of the closing piece (7) thereis an area which has a hexagonal outer surface (23) for closing andtightening the locking piece (7), while centered on that ledge there isa central well with an internal thread (25) where the crowns are screwedin.

The upper gasket (6) (FIG. 3 a) is not only accommodated in the recess(24) in the lower side of the head (22) of the closing piece (7) butalso in the annular recess (26) that is on the top of the hollow screw(1).

The elastic joints (3) and (6) have their own areas of expansion. So inFIG. 9 a we can see that the lower elastic joint (3) has an expansionzone (27) that allows the absorption of axial and/or coronal elasticimpacts. Thus in FIG. 12 a, the expansion can be seen of both the lower(3) and upper (6) joints, which have partially filled the areasallocated for expansion.

Finally, FIG. 13 a shows how the implant is housed in relation to themaxilla (29) and the area of the gum or mucosa (30), it being possibleto see the crown (31) or prosthesis that the patient requires, which isvisible from the outside. It also shows the screw (32) fixing the crown(31) to the rest of the implant.

The essence of this invention is not changed by variations in thematerials, shape, size and arrangement of the component elements,described in non-limiting terms which are sufficient for itsreproduction by an expert.

The invention claimed is:
 1. Dental implant with axial and/or coronaldisplacement comprising: a) a main body in the form of a hollow screw(1) which i. externally comprises a cylindrical configuration,comprising: A. a lower end with a pointed form, B. a middle portioncomprising a cylindrical exterior threaded area (9), and C. an upperportion comprising a configuration as an inverted truncated cone;wherein the inverted truncated cone comprises an outer threaded portion(10), ii. internally: the hollow screw comprises: A. a lower zone (11)where an end joint (2) is housed, B. an intermediate zone (12) above thelower zone; wherein the intermediate zone comprises hexagonal walls thatserve to lock a nut (4), and C. an upper threaded wall (13) above theintermediate zone; wherein inside of the hollow screw (1), the followingpieces are arranged from the bottom of the implant to the top; i. theend joint (2) housed in the lower zone (11) of the hollow screw (1), ii.a lower elastic joint (3), iii. the nut (4); wherein the nut comprises athreaded interior (17) and a hexagonal outside, iv. an internal screw(5) limiting the movement of the nut (4); wherein the internal screwcomprises a smooth cylindrical bottom (18) and an upper cylindricalthreaded part (19) above the smooth cylindrical bottom (18), v. an upperelastic joint (6), and vi. an upper closing part (7).
 2. Dental implantwith axial and/or coronal displacement according to claim 1, wherein thehollow screw (1), at the lower end with the pointed form, is providedwith a series of cuts or slots (8); wherein the cylindrical exteriorthreaded area (9) is wide cut with a fine thread and long barrel andwherein the outer threaded portion (10) is finer cut, shorter and withsmaller thread compared to the cylindrical exterior threaded area. 3.Dental implant with axial and/or coronal displacement according to claim1, wherein the end joint (2) has a cylindrical configuration whichcomprises a bottom which is tapered and wherein the end joint comprisesa cylindrical inner housing (14).
 4. Dental implant with axial and/orcoronal displacement according to claim 1, wherein the nut (4) comprisesan underside with a lug (15), wherein the hexagonal outside of the nutfits into the intermediate zone (12) of the hollow screw (1).
 5. Dentalimplant with axial and/or coronal displacement according to claim 4,wherein the lug (15) has a smaller diameter than a body of the nut, sothat a recess (16) is defined between the lug and the body of the nutfor housing the lower elastic joint (3).
 6. Dental implant with axialand/or coronal displacement according to claim 5 wherein the lowerelastic joint (3) expands within the recess (16).
 7. Dental implant withaxial and/or coronal displacement according to claim 1, wherein thesmooth cylindrical bottom (18) makes contact with a top of the nut (4),wherein through the contact, pressure is transmitted from the internalscrew (5) to the nut (4); wherein the upper cylindrical threaded part(19) screws into an inside thread of the upper threaded wall (13) of thehollow screw (1).
 8. Dental implant with axial and/or coronaldisplacement according to claim 7, wherein the internal screw (5),comprises a head with a hexagonal inner cavity (20) on which a key (28)can act.
 9. Dental implant with axial and/or coronal displacementaccording to claim 1, wherein the upper closing part (7) has a T-shapedconfiguration; wherein the upper closing part (7) comprises acylindrical section, the cylindrical section comprising a threadedportion (21) at a lower end; wherein the threaded portion (21) screwsinto the threaded interior (17) of the nut (4), wherein the closing partfurther comprises a shank above the threaded portion (21), wherein boththe threaded portion (21) and the shank pass through the internal screw(5) limiting the movement of the nut (4), wherein a top of the closingpart (7) has a closing head (22) having a width greater than thethreaded portion (21) and the shank, wherein a bottom surface of saidclosing head (22) defines a recess ring (24) for accommodating the upperelastic joint (6).
 10. Dental implant with axial and/or coronaldisplacement according to claim 9, wherein, on the closing head (22) ofthe upper closing part (7) there emerges a central projection comprisinga hexagonal outer surface (23) for closing and tightening the closingpiece part (7), wherein the central projection further comprises ahollow interior thread (25) where crowns are configured to be threadedaccordingly.
 11. Dental implant with axial and/or coronal displacementaccording to claim 9, wherein the upper elastic joint (6) remains in therecess ring (24) on the underside of the closing head (22) of theclosing part (7) and also in an annular recess (26) that is on the topof the hollow screw (1).
 12. Dental implant with axial and/or coronaldisplacement according to claim 9 wherein the upper elastic joint (6)expands outside of the hollow screw.